herb

noun

(L. herba: plant, herb) Generally any plant which does not produce wood, and is therefore not as large as a tree or shrub, is considered to be an herb; any seed plant whose stem withers away to the ground after each season's growth; a seed plant with a green, non-woody stem. There are several types of herbs, including: forbs, i.e. broad-leaved herbs, graminoids, i.e. grass-like herbs, with very narrow leaves, ferns, i.e. herbs with broad but highly dissected leaves and no flowers, herbaceous vines, i.e. non-woody plants that climb on other plants. Cf. forb.